Munzur Water Strike Continues

As workers continue the strike for 31 days at Dersim’s only factory, Munzur Water Factory, employers said they have paused production and that factory might be shut down.

Workers who are members of Food Labor Union under Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK) have been struggling for collective labor agreement (TİS) for five years at Munsuz Water Factory established 11 years ago in Ovacık village in Turkey’s eastern Dersim district of Tunceli province. 33 workers have been on strike for 31 days since an agreement couldn’t have been reached on TİS. Seven workers were laid off during the strike.

“We will shut it down unless conditions develop”

Munzur Water Factory Board Chairman, Fevzi Özer, has expressed in press release held at their central buildings in Dersim that they had to pause production indefinitely because of some workers’ attitude. He stated that that they will shut it down unless conditions develop.

Özer added that even though all requests of the workers have been accepted, Food Labor Union despite not having such a legal authority prevents workers from resuming the work.

“Our requests have been accepted but the union is not wanted”

Working place representative Ümit Kayaoğlu speaking to bianet stated that their requests have been accepted, however, the employer wants to have individual contracts disacknowledging the union. Thus, they have refused.

Kayaoğlu added that they want to have union rights as well as a new contract, they wouldn’t accept the union to be left out of the picture.

Food Labor Union Secretary General, Seyit Aslan, expressed that the reason behind the strike is not merely economical but to gain union rights and that “we understood during this period that the true intention of the employer is to disregard the union. However, carrying on the strike or not is the workers’ decision.” (NV/TK)

Click here to read the article in Turkish